Chapter 40: News on the Martial Arts Official Website

"To Mai Mountain?"

Chen Xian pondered the suggestion given by Elder Zhang, a decision forming in his mind. Since Elder Zhang had indicated that a trip to Mai Mountain might yield results, he was prepared to go and see for himself. After all, a martial artist who had reached at least the Dan-Formation realm would never speak without purpose.

With this in mind, Chen Xian did not linger in the park. He walked straight out, hailed a taxi, and headed toward Mai Mountain.

...

In the Black Eagle Nation, within an exceptionally luxurious building, a congressman stood in utter shock.

"Thump-thump..."

At this moment, the congressman could clearly feel his heartbeat—it was so rapid, as if his heart were trying to tear its way out of his chest. He desperately wanted to point at the old man standing before him, who was shouldering a hoe, and demand, "How could you possibly be here?"

Although he did not know exactly which figure from the Great Xuan this man was, that did not stop him from recognizing the terror the man represented. It was well known that ever since the Black Eagle Nation's leadership had witnessed those inhuman existences from the Great Xuan a century ago, they had been filled with nothing but apprehension and extreme fear.

While most of the leadership from that era had passed away over the last hundred years, the fear of those legendary martial arts myths of the Great Xuan had not vanished; instead, it had been passed down. Precisely because of this, every point of entry into the Black Eagle Nation—airports, ports, and the like—was equipped with specialized instruments designed to detect every individual coming and going, all in the hope of spotting these martial myths in advance.

Yet, the man before him had appeared here with such ease, without being detected by them and without alerting anyone. It seemed that everything they had done was in vain.

At this moment, his body felt as if its strength had been drained away. He slumped into his chair, his arms unable to muster the slightest bit of power. The appearance of the old man filled his heart with a terror that reached into his very soul. He already knew what he was about to face.

"You... you..."

His lips trembled, and he had no idea what to say. At this point, he didn't even have the strength to stand up. As for running away, the thought never even crossed his mind; in front of this old man, it was unlikely anyone could ever escape. Calling for help was even more hopeless; at this very moment, he feared everyone else was likely praying that the old man would not come for them next.

Based on his appearance alone, he could not identify which of the Great Xuan's legends this was, but the mere fact that the man could appear here made it obvious: it could only be one of those few beings.

Beyond them, no one else could appear silently in the very heart of the Black Eagle Nation, especially in such a heavily fortified location. This place was so secure that not even a mosquito could fly in, yet such defenses were powerless against this man. At this moment, his heart was consumed by despair.

"I come from Dragon-Tiger Mountain."

The old man with the hoe spoke.

"Dragon-Tiger Mountain... the Celestial Master's Mansion."

"I see. It is because of Haas."

A realization dawned on the congressman. He understood why the man had come for him. However, that incident had been orchestrated by Haas; it had nothing to do with him. He hadn't even been involved, so why had they come to him?

"Sir... that matter was not my doing, nor did I plan it. Before it happened, I didn't even know about it! Sir, why have you come for me?" the congressman stammered, attempting to defend himself.

"I know," the old man replied calmly, his eyes swirling with a profound depth as he looked off into the distance, his thoughts unreadable. "But he still had some use. If he truly could have researched the Saint Light series—four, five, or even six—it might have provided humanity with a few more chances for survival, a glimmer of hope."

"Oh? Does even the research of the Saint Light Six only represent a few more chances for survival in your eyes, sir? Should it not be a greater chance of victory?" Even in his extreme fear, the congressman posed his question. He knew that if the Saint Light Six were successfully developed, it would mean everyone on the Profound Star could become a terrifying existence like the man before him. Just a few such beings had already made the Great Xuan the hegemon of the Profound Star, rendering even the most advanced technological weapons—those capable of moving mountains and filling seas—useless against them. One could only imagine the power of a world where everyone had attained godhood.

Yet, even with that hypothesis, the old man only saw it as a chance for survival, not a chance for victory. This naturally puzzled him.

Hearing the congressman's question, Elder Zhang couldn't help but smile. He looked up at the sky, his voice echoing with a haunting quality.

"When the bright moon in the sky falls, do you think a stronger human has a better chance of survival, or a better chance of victory?"

"Not to mention Him... or rather, Them."

Elder Zhang then looked at the congressman. "Plotting to steal the heritage of Dragon-Tiger Mountain would not have been enough to bring me here, but colluding with the God-Worshiping Cult is intolerable."

"Coming for you is merely killing the chicken to warn the monkeys. I want to tell all of you to behave. There are some things that cannot be done, and if you do them, you must bear the consequences."

Upon hearing this, the congressman’s body shuddered, a chill surging through his heart. He had assumed the old man had come for him because of Haas’s plot against the Dragon-Tiger Mountain heritage. He had not expected it to be because of the God-Worshiping Cult. At this moment, he lost all hope of survival.

"May I ask one last question, sir?" Knowing that his fate was sealed, the congressman stopped struggling in vain and instead asked his final question.

"You may," Elder Zhang replied indifferently.

"How old are you, sir?" the congressman asked. According to the Black Eagle Nation's records, the man had already appeared as an old man a century ago. Seeing him now, unchanged, was terrifying. It was no wonder Haas had gone mad over it, colluding with the God-Worshiping Cult at any cost; the temptation of a longer life was simply too great.

"I believe I am over one hundred and seventy now," Elder Zhang answered calmly.

"Hiss!" The congressman gasped. The old man had lived for so long.

"In the past, I would have reached my end by now, but three years ago, the heavens changed. Something mysterious emerged within this world."

"It gave people like me a bit more of a chance to survive, to live a few more years," Elder Zhang said faintly.

...

A few days later, Chen Xian stood at the foot of Mai Mountain and began his ascent.

After arriving, he hadn't rushed to climb. He had waited for several days, making his plans before starting the journey. After all, if he was to gain insight into the world's mountains and rivers, he could not be in a hurry.

During these few days, an event occurred that left him filled with speculation. A piece of news appeared on the official martial arts website: a certain congressman of the Black Eagle Nation had passed away due to an illness that could not be treated, and the organization expressed its deepest grief.